Ask the Author: A.N. Boyden
Answered Questions (10)
A.N. Boyden
I'm glad you enjoyed "Mail Order Groom". It was certainly fun to write and there will be a sequel! "Working to Live" is very much a full-length novel. I have "Working to Live" featured on Kindle Vella and my Patreon. There are currently 54 chapters available and I'm just now reaching the halfway mark. Once I do complete the story, I will be publishing it for Kindle Direct, but that most likely won't be until the end of the year. If you want to read some of the chapters for free, they are available on my Inkitt profile:
https://inkitt.app.link/anboyden_RA
https://inkitt.app.link/anboyden_RA
A.N. Boyden
Hey Liz,
I have a few things in the works, and I haven't quite decided. I am about to start a novel called "Love, Delivered". I'll be happy to post the blurb:
Two years ago, Noah Porter would have been described by his closest family and friends as charismatic, outgoing, the life of the party, and a social butterfly. That all changed when Noah became the victim of a mass shooting at a popular nightclub. Noah escaped with his life, but his two best friends weren't so lucky.
Fast forward two years later, Noah suffers from severe agoraphobia, anxiety, and depression. No one has been able to coax Noah to leave his property, not his family, friends, or his therapist. The furthest he will travel is to his mailbox, where he would occasionally socialize with Mr. Herbert, his friendly mailman.
One day, Noah finds himself sitting on his front porch waiting for Mr. Herbert to stop by. To Noah's utter dismay, a new mailman jumps out of the truck. Correction...mailwoman. Noah narrows his eyes at her in displeasure once she greets him with a broad smile and a cheerful wave. He refused her friendly gesture and prayed her assignment to his route was temporary. However, his prayers went unanswered. Instead, Noah begins to find treats and little notes from the jovial woman wishing him a great day. After weeks, Noah finally responds to the woman's attempts to contact him, sparking a sweet and innocent romance between the two through the mailbox.
Will Noah's love for Lauryn be enough to put his fear behind him and convince him to step outside his comfort zone to pursue a happily ever after?
I have a few things in the works, and I haven't quite decided. I am about to start a novel called "Love, Delivered". I'll be happy to post the blurb:
Two years ago, Noah Porter would have been described by his closest family and friends as charismatic, outgoing, the life of the party, and a social butterfly. That all changed when Noah became the victim of a mass shooting at a popular nightclub. Noah escaped with his life, but his two best friends weren't so lucky.
Fast forward two years later, Noah suffers from severe agoraphobia, anxiety, and depression. No one has been able to coax Noah to leave his property, not his family, friends, or his therapist. The furthest he will travel is to his mailbox, where he would occasionally socialize with Mr. Herbert, his friendly mailman.
One day, Noah finds himself sitting on his front porch waiting for Mr. Herbert to stop by. To Noah's utter dismay, a new mailman jumps out of the truck. Correction...mailwoman. Noah narrows his eyes at her in displeasure once she greets him with a broad smile and a cheerful wave. He refused her friendly gesture and prayed her assignment to his route was temporary. However, his prayers went unanswered. Instead, Noah begins to find treats and little notes from the jovial woman wishing him a great day. After weeks, Noah finally responds to the woman's attempts to contact him, sparking a sweet and innocent romance between the two through the mailbox.
Will Noah's love for Lauryn be enough to put his fear behind him and convince him to step outside his comfort zone to pursue a happily ever after?
A.N. Boyden
You're welcome, Liz. The Intruder is now available on Amazon Kindle 😎
A.N. Boyden
Hey, Liz. The Intruder was set to release tomorrow; however, there was an issue with the pre-order and it was canceled by Amazon. I resubmitted it and it's currently in review by Amazon. The Intruder is available currently through Kindle Vella.
A.N. Boyden
I don't get traditional writer's block in the sense I don't know where to go in the story; however, due to my ADHD, I'll have the urge to start something new, which is why I have multiple works in progress. It's a nasty habit, and my goal in 2022 is to remain more focused and not juggle so many projects at one time.
A.N. Boyden
The best thing about being a writer is being able to connect with readers all over the world. I have readers in places I never thought I could reach. I found out I had a ride-or-die fan in New Zealand and I was in awe. I couldn't believe it. I have supporters all over the world, and it leaves me flabbergasted every time.
A.N. Boyden
The best advice I can give is to start writing in the genre you love to read. I say this because you'll have an automatic reference and an understanding of what style of writing may best suit you. If you don't particularly like reading sci-fi, it would be difficult to get your feet off the ground if you chose to write a sci-fi book early on in your career. It might take you extensive research, which may lead to discouragement when it's your first go-around.
I would also say to not be afraid to put yourself out there. Post your first works on a public forum such as Inkitt or Wattpad. Inkitt has great discussion boards for aspiring writers and you can reach out to readers to beta read and leave reviews for your works. Be open to constructive criticism.
Take the time to learn the rules of writing (proper grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, etc.)
Last, but not least, don't let anyone discourage you. There will be naysayers and there will be people who will leave hateful comments because that's just the person they are and it's the Internet. Greatness isn't accomplished in a day.
I would also say to not be afraid to put yourself out there. Post your first works on a public forum such as Inkitt or Wattpad. Inkitt has great discussion boards for aspiring writers and you can reach out to readers to beta read and leave reviews for your works. Be open to constructive criticism.
Take the time to learn the rules of writing (proper grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, etc.)
Last, but not least, don't let anyone discourage you. There will be naysayers and there will be people who will leave hateful comments because that's just the person they are and it's the Internet. Greatness isn't accomplished in a day.
A.N. Boyden
I have a few works in progress that I hope to finish out in 2022.
-Working to Live (Can be found on Kindle Vella)
-Fire Starter
-Baby Swap (Sequel to Spouse Swap and coming soon for pre-order)
-The Intruder (Can be found on Kindle Vella. It's a novella and will be finished in January)
-Mail Order Groom (Currently live for pre-order on Amazon)
-Working to Live (Can be found on Kindle Vella)
-Fire Starter
-Baby Swap (Sequel to Spouse Swap and coming soon for pre-order)
-The Intruder (Can be found on Kindle Vella. It's a novella and will be finished in January)
-Mail Order Groom (Currently live for pre-order on Amazon)
A.N. Boyden
I started writing Spouse Swap in late 2019 and finished it in 2020. I had been a fan of the series "Wife Swap" many, many years ago when the show first came out. I always felt they didn't do it justice, and the lessons learned and the experiences were all very surface level. I come from a background in Sociology and having a deep understanding of households and the dynamics are always something that stood out to me, especially when it comes to gender roles in the home. In Spouse Swap, I wanted to prolong that experience and really immerse and commit the spouses to their respective roles. I wanted to have a successful WOC as the main character because there are not enough of them in literature if I'm honest.
A.N. Boyden
In 2018, I was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression due to a stressful social services job. I loved reading, but that wasn't enough to distract me from everything that was going on. I started to write and I was amazed at how focused I became and how the world became exciting once again. After writing, therapy, and quitting the job I was hell-bent on killing myself over, I'm happy to say my symptoms are in remission.
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